Wendy Noren, 1954-2018

Wednesday

Mar 14, 2018 at 12:01 AM

Wendy Susan Noren, 63, died on Sunday, March 11, 2018 in her home supported by the devoted care of her family. She fought cancer for over four years while continuing her service to the ideals of fair and free elections. Her determination to work and persevere with life during her treatment was a final testimony to her strength of will.

A celebration of Wendy’s remarkable life will take place will take place on Saturday, April 7 at 3:00 at The Ballroom of the Tiger Hotel, 23 South 8th Street, Columbia, to give an opportunity for friends and members of the community that she served to gather and remember her.

A Columbia Tribune columnist once attributed that “steely resolve” to the example of her parents, Carl and Anna McCalla Noren. She was born to them on June 29, 1954 in Jefferson City and grew up there as a true child of central Missouri.

Her father’s tenure as Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation and his example as a life-long public servant was one she cited as a role model. Her leadership and intellect were already evident as she moved through her school years, serving in various offices and garnering awards. Her interest in civic affairs was reinforced by studies at Jefferson City High School from which she graduated in 1972.

Her life in Columbia began when she became a student at the University of Missouri. Following in the footsteps of her mother, a respected nurse supervisor, Wendy was capped as a student nurse during her studies there. She honed her leadership skills while holding offices in Pi Beta Phi sorority. Her interest in politics and policy led her to a degree in history and the field of public service after her graduation in 1976.

Wendy’s enduring commitment to Boone County began forty years ago when she became deputy county clerk. She took a ten month leave of absence to serve as district manager for the US Bureau of the Census, an experience that led to her appointment by Governor Bond to the Missouri reapportionment commission. She was elected Boone County Clerk in 1982, a post she held for nearly 35 years before she retired last June, due to illness. Bipartisan respect for her ability and integrity of purpose meant that she was only challenged once in eight subsequent elections.

She was married in 1988 to Forrest Rose. Their son, Brennan Noren Rose, was born in 1989 and was their shared joy until Forrest’s death in 2005.

Brennan and Wendy had a unique bond, both as mother and son and as friends, characterized by discussions of books, movies and current affairs. Wendy’s face would light up when Brennan came into view and they would soon settle into animated conversation. She loved his gentle kindness and quick wit. He developed an enjoyment of cooking like his mother and together they created savory dishes and desserts.

Wendy built a reputation as one of the most capable election administrators in the country. She was a pioneer in using technology to improve voter access. She was the first election official in the country to accept online voter address changes and to implement a local online voter registration application system. Her expertise was routinely sought at the national and international level.

The current national Election Assistance Commission Chairman called her a “true legend in elections”. The Director of the Program for Excellence in Election Administration at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs wrote “Wendy has been one of the elections community’s most relentless innovators throughout her tenure and a prime example of what election administrators can and should be. She was always an enthusiastic resource for my work and someone I could count on for knowledgeable and unvarnished opinions on key issues...”

She served as a member of the National Association of Counties advisory board to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission from 2004 until she resigned in 2017. She was the only representative of a local voting authority named to the National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Interoperability of Voter Registration Databases, which included primarily researchers in academia and industry.

She was involved in the development of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and was a member of a National Research Council committee to assist in its implementation. She advised as an expert witness before committees of both Missouri and US legislative bodies.

In 2017, she was gifted a flag which had flown over the US Capitol as well as a Senate proclamation paying her tribute upon retirement.

Wendy considered her two assignments as an international election monitor as some of the most rewarding experiences of her life. She traveled under the auspices of the International Foundation for Election Systems to Albania in 1997 while it was amid widespread violence and to Kosovo at the behest of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2001. In turn, during the 2008 US elections she hosted international observers from Canada and South Africa in connection with Global Exchange, a San Francisco-based human rights organization. They were placed with Wendy to garner knowledge of her election administration techniques.

Locally, she received the 1998 Rosemary Plitt Award and the 2014 Brite award, both commending her for her contributions to Missouri elections. In 1999, she was honored with the Distinguished Alumna Achievement award by Pi Beta Phi. In 2003 she won the Public Advocacy Award from Services for Independent Living and in 2013 the Missouri Assistive Technology Award for her efforts in making voting accessible. In 2015 she was presented the Women in Business Professional Excellence Award. In 2017, she was named the League of Women Voters Citizen of the Year and received the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities Innovator Award.

Her dedication to the local Democratic party has been recognized multiple times over the years starting with the Outstanding Young Democrat Award from the Muleskinners in 1987, serving as a delegate to the 2000 National Democratic Convention and culminating in the creation of Wendy Noren Room of the Boone County Democratic Party headquarters. This candidate resource center is an appropriate acknowledgement of Wendy’s longstanding practice of providing encouragement assistance to candidates-especially women.

Retired Circuit Judge Christine Carpenter commented “When I ran for Boone County Prosecuting Attorney in 1994, I had no idea how to run a campaign, and little insight into the political world of Boone County. Wendy was my mentor. Many years later when Judge Jody Asel had an opponent in a judicial race she expressed her amazement that Wendy was so helpful to her. As a Republican, she was not expecting that. Wendy was a fierce supporter of women candidates, but she provided election information to all who asked, regardless of their gender or political party.”

Wendy’s life was indeed centered on her career, but she had a full life outside of work as well. She was an adventurous chef and reveled in hosting multi-course, themed dinner parties. In the run up to the 2004 election her legendary pear tart was featured in a local newspaper spread alongside the presidential candidates’ wives’ recipes.

She was a voracious reader who delighted in sharing her favorite books or debating the merits of a piece of investigative journalism.

She was a great fan of the Cardinals dating back to her childhood listening to Harry Carey and Jack Buck on the radio.

Movies were also a passion and she particularly enjoyed the True/False Film Fest held every year in Columbia. She admired the goals of the festival’s True Life Fund that provides support for individuals who are subjects of featured documentary films. She designated the Fund for any memorial donations.

She is survived by her son, Brennan Noren Rose, of Columbia. Also surviving are her mother, Ann Noren, of Columbia; brother, David Noren (Jean) of Portland, Ore.; and three sisters, Laura Noren (Scott Wilson) of Columbia, Carol Lockman of Athens, Ga. and Jane Davis (Tom) of Charlottesville, Va. She leaves behind twelve nieces and nephews; two grand-nieces; one grand-nephew; and one great-grand-niece.

She was preceded in death by her father, Carl Raymond Noren.

The family expresses their appreciation to the physicians and staff of Missouri Cancer Associates, Boone Hospital, and Hospice Compassus for their attentive care during Wendy’s protracted illness.

Contributions in Wendy’s memory can be made to the True Life Fund, PO Box 121, 2000 E. Broadway, Columbia, Mo. 65201.

Arrangements are under the direction of Parker-Millard Funeral Service & Crematory; 12 East Ash Street, Columbia, Mo., 65203; (573) 449-4153.

Condolences may be left online for the family at www.parkermillard.com.

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